Mixed results for UNC, Duke players in 2012 NBA draft

Thursday

Jun 27, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Stephen Schramm Staff writer

Six players - a full one-fifth - of the first round of the 2012 NBA draft came from either Duke or North Carolina. From an all-rookie first teamer to a player who played more in the NBA Developmental League than they did with the team that drafted them, their plights were varied. Here's a look at how each player's first season the pros turned out.

Pick No. 7

Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors - Golden State already had some intriguing young wing talent in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson when it drafted Barnes, a 6-foot-8 small forward from North Carolina.

Barnes fit right in on a team that more than doubled its regular season win total and pushed eventual Western Conference champ San Antonio in an entertaining six-game series in the conference semifinals.

Barnes started 81 games in the regular season, averaging 9.2 points per game. In the playoffs, his output jumped up to 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. He had games of 26 and 25 points against the Spurs.

Since the moment he stepped on campus at North Carolina, Barnes was deemed to have a bright NBA future.

While he had moments in a largely solid college career that fueled doubts, his first season as a pro, which ended with a spot on the all-rookie first team, should go a long way toward quieting them.

Pick No. 10

Austin Rivers, New Orleans Hornets - Rivers never quite found his footing during his rookie year in New Orleans. He played in 61 games and started 26 for the then Hornets - now Pelicans - before a broken bone in his right hand ended his season in early March.

Prior to that, he was averaging 6.2 points per game. His 37 percent shooting was the worst among the Hornets' regular contributors.

However, the former Duke star was solidly in the playing rotation - averaging 23.2 minutes per game. But with Eric Gordon and Greivis Vasquez likely maintaining their spots as the Pelicans' top two guards heading into next season, Rivers' future remains unclear.

Pick No. 13

Kendall Marshall, Phoenix Suns - Among the 2012 draft picks with area ties, Marshall's case was the most curious. At the start of his sophomore season at North Carolina, he was considered a solid college point guard, but not a threat to jump to the pros. By season's end, he was the most important player on the Tar Heels' roster, showing newfound scoring flair, deft leadership and unparalleled court vision. That led to the Suns making him a lottery pick. But Marshall looks to have plenty of work to do to become the point guard the Suns envisioned on the pro level.

Marshall averaged three points and three assists in 48 games. He started only three times, failing to unseat Goran Dragic. He eventually played nine games in the NBA Developmental League.

Pick No. 14

John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks - Henson was a useful, albeit not prominent, piece on a Bucks team that snagged the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With his long wingspan and exceptional shot-blocking ability, the former North Carolina big man's potential is clear. But with his slight frame, the room for improvement was, too.

As a rookie, Henson started in nine of the 62 games in which he played and averaged six points and 4.7 rebounds. But with a sudden increase of playing time in the final week of the season, Henson showed what he's capable of, averaging 15 points and 15 rebounds during the Bucks' final five games. While his impact wasn't big, along with third-year center Larry Sanders, Henson figures to be a big part in the future of the Bucks' front line.

Pick No. 17

Tyler Zeller, Cleveland (via Dallas) - Zeller was thrust into the starting lineup after the Cavaliers' veteran center Anderson Varejao had his season cut short by injury in mid-December. It was a rocky adjustment for the former North Carolina star as he averaged 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while having to learn how to guard NBA centers. But by season's end, he'd handled the task well enough to be selected to the all-rookie second team.

Zeller's size and mobility made him an alluring option coming out of college. Next season, he should be able to add an uncommon amount of experience - for a second-year center, at least - to the mix.

Pick No. 26

Miles Plumlee, Indiana Pacers - After a career at Duke that saw him struggle to stay in the starting lineup, it was a bit of a surprise to see Plumlee go in the first round. But the Pacers justified the selection by pointing to Plumlee's sturdy 6-10 frame and a raw offensive game that they felt they could work with. Plumlee spent 15 games in the NBA Developmental League and eventually made 12 appearances for the Pacers.

But once the postseason arrived, Plumlee did not see any action. His contract guarantees him another year, but it will be a challenge to crack the frontcourt rotation for a team that seems settled after falling just short of the NBA finals.

Staff writer Stephen Schramm can be reached at schramms@fayobserver.com or 486-3536.

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